


Motivational Fashion

by eclecticxdetour



Series: Tumblr Bucky/Steve Ficlets [10]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Spoilers, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-13
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-22 18:37:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3739177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eclecticxdetour/pseuds/eclecticxdetour
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky struggles to find the motivation to do his cardio, but the combination of Steve and the humidity helps him find it again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Motivational Fashion

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [HERE](http://eclecticxdetour.tumblr.com/post/115549741711/bucky-wanting-to-get-in-shape-post-ws-cause-they) in response to an anon's prompt: _Bucky wanting to get in shape post ws cause they starved him and he's really malnourished so Steve helps him train and he wears booty shorts when they go running and Steve gets a head start so bucky is basically more motivated to catch up_

**Title** : Motivational Fashion  
**Pairing** : Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers  
**Word Count** : 1465  
**Rating** : PG-13  
**Warnings** : Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, re-Established Relationship, language  
**Spoilers:**   **very slight** for Age of Ultron  
**Disclaimer** : I don't own any of these characters or their universe.  
**A/N** : Juuuust imagine Steve wearing something along the lines of [these split side shorts](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71r-q4UAzML._UL1500_.jpg) (slightly nsfw link) but a little less patriotic ;D.

Bucky’s not out of shape. Never a chance to lose any of his bulk when he only existed in and out of the freezer, strong as hell and nearly tube fed a tasteless high calorie diet that retained his solid build. They  _had_  to maintain his body weight in order for him to support his cumbersome cybernetic arm. 

Now it’s hard to get motivated to keep up his physique.

It took a while to get used to how much he had to eat when he was responsible for finding his own meals, but he could have real,  _flavorful_  food again. A greasy cheeseburger with a side of crisp fries and a fizzy cola. Barbecue ribs and creamy potato salad with sweet grilled peaches for dessert.

He’d gotten a taste of every worldly cuisine the nation had to offer before he was prepared to reunite with Steve. Steve, Sam, and Natasha easily found the trail he’d left for them to follow. Let Steve know that he was doing as well as he could be, considering, but was not yet willing to reconcile. The temptation to reveal himself weighed heavily in his chest when the threat of Ultron broke, every major news outlet reporting on  _Earth’s Mightiest Heroes_ , video of Steve getting beat to shit by drones triggering that deep-seated instinct to be at Steve’s side during a fight.

But Bucky’d stayed away until he was ready. Staked out Steve’s favorite post-run bagel joint and set up there on a windy Thursday morning. Steve stilled in the doorway the second he stepped foot into the place. Kept his gaze on him as Steve approached the counter and ordered three more everything bagels than he usually did. Holding the stack of them in one palm, Steve casually sat opposite him at his small corner table and slid him half the bagels without a word.

They didn’t talk until after they’d eaten. Watched one another as the bagels slowly disappeared, coffees choked down, paper cups empty. “Come back with me.”

Bucky’d nodded and said, “Yes.”

He’d been through the evaluations. Got into counseling and was treated like a human being again. He had his  _life_  and Steve at his side like nothing had changed.

Except how often they had to fucking  _exercise_.

It was weird being around a team that had fought side-by-side with Steve. Another squad like the Commandos that he hadn’t been a part of.

Thor was easy. He didn’t hide his feelings and hadn’t been wary with him when they’d met. Steve would often spar with Thor when Thor was earthbound, and Bucky got a kick out of watching them train together.

He hadn’t joined in. Hated the thought of doing the very thing for which he’d been weaponized.

Steve understood, encouraged him to do or not do whatever he wanted. Bucky was happy watching Steve and Thor grapple, happy to spot Steve when Steve lifted weights even though he knew Steve didn’t really need it. Then the left side of his body had started to ache due to lack of physical conditioning and he knew he should start training alongside Steve.

He stuck mainly to weight lifting and the occasional yoga session with Barton; the first time Bucky’d seen Clint contorting himself into ridiculous poses made it clear why he had been a circus performer. He could lift weights all day. Focus on his breathing and let his arms do all the work. But cardio?

Running wasn’t  _fun,_ too much visual stimulation that something deep inside him cautioned him against. And Steve got up too damn  _early_  to run his daily marathon. But Steve always came back grinning and a little sweaty, exercise shirt clinging to his upper body. They had been slowly getting physically reacquainted and Bucky could never resist tugging Steve back into bed with Steve looking like that.

So when the humidity started to become unbearable, Steve woke up even earlier to beat the awful heat of the day. Bucky groaned into their pillows as Steve tried his best to stay quiet, going through his pre-morning routine and pulling on his running gear.

Bucky peeled open his right eye, left eye following to fully take in the spectacle before him. Steve normally wore a form-fitting compression top in a variety of colors and a pair of skinny joggers. This morning his arms and shoulders were bare, tight tank showing off his collarbones and the spot at the base of Steve’s neck that he liked to mark. Then his fucking  _legs_ , bare all the way to his upper thigh and even higher with the goddamn  _side_   _slits_  an inch from the elastic waistband to the hem of Steve’s blue short shorts. What kind of underpants Steve could’ve been wearing—if  _any—_ he couldn’t wrap his head around.

“What the  _fuck.”_

Steve laughed. “Mornin’ to you, too, Buck,” he said, sitting on the edge of their bed and pulling on his socks.

“What are you  _wearing_?”

“Shorts?” questioned Steve, twisting back toward Bucky as he adjusted his socks around his ankles. Bucky raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged, turning his attention back to his feet and pulling on his sneakers. “It’s hot as all hell; no way am I gonna wear my track pants.”

Steve stood up and Bucky groaned, bottom curve of Steve’s tight ass almost peeking out from the leg holes of his exercise shorts. “ _Steve_.” Steve bent his right leg, holding on to his ankle and lifting his foot so his heel touched his buttock. Steve’s left cheek clenched and flexed under the thin material of his shorts. “I’m going with you.”

“That’s great, Buck!” said Steve, dropping his leg and turning around toward Bucky, grinning. He stretched his left leg—4, 5, 6—and laughed when Bucky kicked out from under the comforter. “It’s gonna be seventy this morning, but the fuckin’ humidity is gonna be a killer.”

“I’ll manage!” Bucky shouted, rummaging in his drawers for his basketball shorts, far from the indecent  _hot pants_  Steve was sporting. He wasn’t going to have to worry about the  _humidity_  killing him.

They walked to Central Park, Steve unable to hide his grin when he took hold of Steve’s right hand with his metal one. Steve let go of his hand and did another set of stretches, eyes widening when Steve bent over at the waist and touched his toes. Those fucking shorts rode up his waist, entire ass nearly on display. Thank _god_  there weren’t any other runners out this early, at least not at this entrance of the park.

“Ready to go?” asked Steve, stretching his arms above his head and then rolling his shoulders.

“Let’s do it,” he said, nodding and letting Steve run ahead of him. He’d have no trouble keeping up with Steve, but the view from behind was definitely worth his while. Steve had on  _some_  sort of underwear, flash of elastic framing the sides of Steve’s butt. Focusing on Steve’s ass put that ingrained need for vigilance on the back burner, wasn’t worried about rogue threats hidden among the trees, the prickle of eyes on him through the scope of a rifle.

Just Steve’s pert little ass, flexing with Steve’s bouncy gait.

Steve stopped after one lap of the drive loop, tank damp with sweat at the collar, but breathing easily. “Do you want me to slow down?” he asked once Bucky stopped next to him.

“…no, I can handle the pace. What’s up?” asked Bucky, rubbing his thumb against the palm of his fingerless glove. 

Steve shrugged. “You’re trailin’ behind, I figured maybe we should take it a little slower.”

Bucky snorted and tugged on his ponytail, elastic tightening around his hair. “I, uh, need somethin’ to focus on.”

“Shit, I forgot to suggest you bring your iPod. I know some people like listening to music while they run.”

“No, that’s—” Bucky half-laughed, ducking his head and rubbing the nape of his neck. “I’ve got no problem keepin’ pace, it just helps if I…focus on your ass while I’m runnin’.”

His admission startled a laugh out of Steve, Steve’s hands planting on his hips as he laughed again. “Good thing I’m wearin’ these shorts, I guess.”

“Your ass in those shorts may have been my motivation to join you this morning.”

“I’ll be sure to stay in front of you, then,” said Steve, shaking his head and bouncing on his toes. “You ready to go again? I usually take five laps.”

“Lead the way,” said Bucky, patting Steve’s ass and pushing him to run, waiting a few strides and then following after him.

When Bucky woke up the next morning to Steve stretching in a pair of neon green short shorts, he knew he wouldn’t struggle with finding the motivation to go running again.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://eclecticxdetour.tumblr.com/)!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [motivational action](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3899038) by [Val Mora (valmora)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/valmora/pseuds/Val%20Mora)




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